Wales
A name derived from the Germanic word meaning "foreigner" or "outsider".
Name Census estimates that about 8 living Americans carry the first name Wales. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Wales today is around 76 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Wales births was 1939 (7 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Wales. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Wales is about 76 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Wales' were born before 1960.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Wales. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
8
~ 1 in 42,844,292 Americans
Peak year
1939
7 babies that year
Average age
76
years old
1968 SSA rank
#4,733
Tracked since 1914
Popularity
Wales: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Wales from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 4 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1930s, with 17 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1930s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Wales by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Wales during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Wales
The name Wales is a unique and intriguing one, with a rich history that spans across different cultures and time periods. Its origins can be traced back to the Old English language, where it was derived from the word "Wealh," which referred to a person of Celtic or Brythonic descent. This term was commonly used by the Anglo-Saxons to distinguish the indigenous Britons from themselves.
In the early medieval period, the name Wales was closely associated with the region known as Wales, which was inhabited by the ancient Britons. The name was likely used to identify individuals who hailed from this particular area or had connections to the Welsh people and their culture. It is believed that the name may have been used as a personal name among the Welsh population during this time.
While the name Wales does not have a direct historical reference in ancient texts or religious scriptures, it has been recorded in various historical documents and records throughout the centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England and Wales commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086.
Over the course of history, several notable individuals have borne the name Wales. One such person was Wales de Hampton (c. 1275-1349), an English landowner and member of the gentry who lived during the 13th and 14th centuries. Another prominent figure was Wales Cooke (c. 1500-1567), an English politician and Member of Parliament during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
In the realm of literature, Wales is also the name of a character in the novel "The Unfortunate Traveller" by Thomas Nashe, published in 1594. This work is considered one of the earliest examples of picaresque fiction in English literature.
Moving forward in time, Wales Morgan (1688-1766) was a Welsh clergyman and author who is notable for his work "A Moral Philosopher," published in 1737. Additionally, Wales Griffith (1767-1835) was a Welsh Baptist minister and writer who made significant contributions to the religious and literary landscape of his time.
These are just a few examples of individuals throughout history who have carried the name Wales. While the name may not be as common today, it remains a unique and intriguing moniker with a rich cultural heritage and historical significance.
People
Wales + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Wales as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with W
Other first names starting with W with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Wales: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Wales?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 8 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Wales going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 42,844,292 US residents.
Is Wales a common name?
We classify Wales as "Very Rare". It ranks above 24.6% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 38 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Wales most popular?
The single biggest year for Wales was 1939, when 7 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Wales is about 76 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Wales in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Wales a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Wales in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Wales still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Wales in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Wales can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people share the name Wales?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.